To Belong
by Eirinn Croi
Summary: Written for the "First Kiss" Challenge over at HPFC. "You have always belonged, Dean." Dean and Luna's first kiss. As canon as Dean/Luna can be.


**For Nicky - for the loyal, loving and amazing person you were.  
>In my mind and heart forever. RIP.<strong>

**To Belong**

The waves pounded the shore, crashing as they hit the sand and retracting into the depths of the sea with a whoosh. Seagulls flew over head, their sound mixing nicely with that of the waves as they plunged into the sea in search for fish. The sun had begun to set, turning the horizon a beautiful golden red.

Dean Thomas stood at the edge of the garden of Shell Cottage, watching, listening. He had spent many weeks here, a long forgotten sense of peace settling over him as he adapted to life with a home again. Almost eight long months he had been on the run, not seeing his family or friends. He had forgotten the warmth and happiness a home brought, what sleeping in a soft bed was like, what eating a home cooked meal tasted like. And how nice it was to be back among friends! He almost cried when he had discovered Harry, Ron and Hermione back at Malfoy Manor. They were his link back to reality, a place where he had been happy and free. The joy he felt when he was invited to stay at Shell Cottage with them, sleeping in the living room with Harry and Ron, it was just like they were back in Gryffindor Tower. The war melted away into nothing but stories as they remained in their little safe haven, with some sort of normality injected back into their lives.

But now, Dean left more alone than he had ever felt while on the run. Harry, Ron and Hermione were gone and now Shell Cottage felt no better than camping on a riverbank. He was with strangers, only bound by their dimming hope that this might end someday.

Sure, the other inhabitants of Shell Cottage were nice, they treated him like family, but they were still strangers. Before this ordeal, Dean had never set eyes on the oldest Weasley brother, Bill. And though he recognised Fleur as one of the old Triwizard champions, he had never spoken a word to her in the year they shared Hogwarts Castle as a home. Shell Cottage was their home and even though they had graciously welcomed him into it, without his old friends, he felt abandoned.

'Seagulls are very magical creatures, you know. Muggles don't realise it but they are actually called Fullons and have many magical powers. Daddy once did an article about it.'

Luna had arrived beside him, dragging him back to the present of the fading day with her usual irrational, _incorrect_, statements. Dean did not reply, just shoved his hands deeper into his jeans pockets and scowled.

'You miss them?' Luna asked.

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, kicking at some pebbles. Eventually he nodded. He expected Luna to speak again, but when he chanced a glance at her, he saw she was staring out across the waters, a faint smile on her face.

Dean though back to the first time he had ever encountered Luna Lovegood. It was back in his fifth years, her fourth, in the Room of Requirement, both being members of the DA. He had thought her crazy and he and Seamus had quickly picked up on her nickname and had used it behind her back. Since arriving at Shell Cottage, Dean felt ashamed of that and had tried to be nice to her, for they were all stuck in this war with no means of escape.

'Do you feel like a stranger here, to Bill and Fleur?' Dean asked, needing some reassurance that he was not alone with this feeling.

'No,' Luna replied immediately.

'Why not?' Dean pressed her.

'We are all strangers, different in many ways. But we are all family, alike in the same way that makes us different.'

Dean stared at the blonde girl, not having understood a word she had just said. When she looked over at him and caught his expression, she smiled.

'I mean that, yes we are strangers in the way they we did not know one another before this war, but family in the sense that we are all united against the same thing and without each other, our cause is lost.'

Dean snorted. 'You sound like the Sorting Hat,' he told her.

'The Sorting Hat is quite right,' she replied, smiling.

Silence fell. All the light from the day had faded now, leaving them standing in the dark, the Cottage just a dark outline behind them. Luna shivered.

'Are you cold?' Dean asked, immediately shedding his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.

'Thank you, Dean,' Luna said, dreamily staring out to the water again.

After another few seconds, Dean spoke again. 'Do you ever think we'll get to go back? To Hogwarts I mean.'

'Oh yes. I do hope we haven't seen the last of the Castle. Even though I was always teased there, I felt more at home than I ever did with Daddy,' she confided.

'Me too. You know, I never met my dad and my mum is a Muggle so when I got my letter we all assumed I was Muggle-born. But when I'm at Hogwarts, I can pretend that my dad really was a wizard and that he once walked the halls that I do. I like thinking I have a definite connection to this world.'

Luna smiled but remained silent, almost as if she knew Dean was not finished speaking, so he went on.

'I'm sorry I teased you at school. It was uncalled for and very immature. I didn't even know you, I had no right to judge. I'm sorry,' he apologised.

'Apology accepted. And you can get to know me now,' Luna said with a wide grin.

A sudden feeling erupted in the pit of Dean's stomach, a warm glowing feeling, like an almighty happiness. Without thinking, he bent his head and pressed his lips to Luna's. She seemed shocked at first but eventually responded. She stretched up on tip-toe and curled her fingers into his hair as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, holding her to him.

Pulling away, Dean smiled at her. That peaceful feeling that had left with Harry, Ron and Hermione had returned.

'Why did you do that?' Luna requested.

Dean shrugged. 'To feel that connection again, like I belong. Like this war isn't happening, to feel like a normal teenager again...To get to know you.'

Luna smiled. 'You have always belonged, Dean.'

Suddenly, something glowed red hot between their bodies and Luna let out a surprised, 'Oh!' She released Dean and rummaged in her pocket for something. When she pulled her hand out, a large golden galleon was sitting in the palm of her hand, glowing red hot.

'Is that one of the DA galleons?' Dean asked, examining it closely.

'Yes,' Luna breathed.

'But what's going on? I thought they only burned when Harry set a date and time for a meeting?'

'They do, but this means something else,' Luna replied, thinking back to the promise she, Neville and Ginny had made one another at the start of the year. 'This means Harry is at Hogwarts.'

Dean gaped at her. 'Hogwarts? Why is he there?'

Luna shook her head, indicating that she did not know, then clenched her fist over the galleon and looked up at Dean. 'Let's go find out,' she said, holding out her hand for him to take.

Shocked and not quite sure what was happening, Dean nodded and took her hand and both disapparated, Dean letting Luna guide him onwards, towards the greatest battle either of them would ever have to face. Together.


End file.
